External onsite-manufactured continuous structural sleeve

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for encasing various structures with a seamless continuous sleeve, where the presence of existing supports does not allow slipping a sleeve over the structure. In these methods strips of fabrics smeared with or saturated by resin are helically or non-helically wrapped or placed around desired shape mandrels that are located around a support of the structure. As the resin is partially cured, a portion of the sleeve segment is moved away from the mandrel, leaving the rest of the sleeve on the mandrel to be attached to the next will-be-fabricated sleeve segment. The process will continue as many times as needed to create a sleeve of a desired length. In various embodiments the strength of the sleeves varies at different locations. In some embodiments the gaps between the sleeves and the structures are filled with gas, liquid, solid, or any other materials.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of encasing an elongated structure in a jointless sleeve, wherein neither end of the structure is accessible or wherein no tube of any cross-section can be pulled over the structure from either end of the structure, the method comprising:
 assembling a mandrel around and close to one end of the elongated structure; 
 wrapping at least one sheet and/or one strap of reinforced material around the mandrel to form a seamless sleeve segment, wherein the sheet and/or the strap of reinforced material is smeared with or saturated by resin; 
 attaching said sleeve segment to a previously fabricated sleeve segment; 
 moving, after resin is partially or completely cured, the sleeve segment and the attached segments towards an opposite end of the elongated structure; and 
 repeating the wrapping, the attaching, and the moving steps as many times as necessary to encase a desired length of the elongated structure with a one-piece jointless and seamless sleeve. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mandrel is a segmental mandrel. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mandrel is slightly tapered to easily move and dispense manufactured sleeve segments. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mandrel is inflatable to be inflated to a desired shape and size for wrapping the at least one sheet and/or one strap of reinforced material and be deflated for removing the manufactured sleeve. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mandrel is covered with a release film of non-sticky material or is sprayed-on with non-sticky chemicals, known as bond brakers. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein wrapping the mandrel is performed with a pre-preg fabric to eliminate a need for carrying resin to construction site for saturating the fabric. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fabricated sleeve segment is moved at least partially off the mandrel by pushing or pulling. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein each sleeve segment is comprised of more than one layer of wrapping. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein wrappings are performed manually or mechanically or are preprogrammed. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein number of layers of wrapping is different at different locations along a length of the one-piece jointless and seamless sleeve to achieve different desired strengths at each desired location. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforced sheet or strap of material is Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP). 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein an intentional annular space of a desired size is left between the one-piece jointless and seamless sleeve and the elongated structure. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , further including the additional step of filling the annular space with filling materials that may also include reinforcing elements. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wrapping is performed helically or non-helically. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein additional sheets of different desired materials are placed between the wrappings. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one controllable wheel, constantly or periodically, engages the sleeve to push or to pull the sleeve towards the opposite end of the elongated structure. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , wherein sensor(s) are incorporated in the sleeve to monitor desired stresses in a wall of the sleeve. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the sensors monitor stresses due to internal pressure, external loads, pulling force during installation, earthquake-induced stresses, conditions of the filler material as a warning tool for owners and operators of such systems, and temperature and pressure of fluids and gases inside the elongated structure. 
     
     
       19. A method of fabricating a shell around an extended structure, wherein a fabricated tubular shell cannot be pulled over the structure from either end of the structure, the method comprising:
 positioning a mandrel around and close to one end of the extended structure; 
 wrapping, helically or non-helically, a sheet and/or a strap of resin smeared or resin saturated material around the mandrel to form a seamless shell segment; 
 attaching the shell segment to a previously fabricated shell segment; 
 moving the shell segment and the attached segments towards another end of the extended structure; and 
 repeating the wrapping, the attaching, and the moving steps to encase a desired length of the extended structure with a one-piece jointless and seamless shell. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein an intentional annular space of a desired size is left between the shell and the extended structure to be filled with liquid, gas, solid, or curable filler material(s) and/or reinforcing elements.